Convertible tent structure



Sept. 23, 1969 J. c. THOMP5ON 3,468,321

CONVERTIBLE TENT STRUCTURE Filed Aug. 17, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. JOSEPH CHARLES THOMPSON Sept. 23, 1969 J. c. THOMPSON 3,468,321

CONVERTIBLE TENT STRUCTURE Filed Aug. 17, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 II-WENTOR, I

JOSEPH CHARLES THQMPSON United States Patent C 3,468,321 CONVERTIBLE TENT STRUCTURE Joseph Charles Thompson, 2804- N. Jefferson, Arlington, Va. 22207 Filed Aug. 17, 1967, Ser. No. 661,281 Int. Cl. A45f N US. Cl. 1351 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A tent constructed so that various of the panels may be oriented in different positions to enable the tent to be converted to alternative arrangements while retaining the same basic orientation of tent pegs and tent poles or such other support device, such as an outside frame, as may be used to support the tent in its various configurations.

This invention generally relates to a convertible tent structure constructed of flexible material and including panels oriented in particular positions for forming different types of tent structures in which all of the panels are interconnected by conventional fastening procedures such as by stitching or the like.

An object of the present invention is to provide a convertible tent structure incorporating basically a central rectangular panel and two end semi-octagonal panels together with an attached floor panel and mosquito netting for an entrance opening.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a convertible tent structure incorporating a predetermined arrangement of tent poles and tent pegs or other supporting arrangements combined with a novel arrangement of interconnected tent forming panels by which tents of various shapes and configurations may be constructed.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a convertible tent structure which is simple in construction, easy to set up, easy to convert from one arrangement to another, effective for protecting the occupants and relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of the convertible tent structure of the present invention laid out in a flat condition;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the tent pole and tent peg arrangement illustrating the orientation of the tent in broken line;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the tent in fully closed position;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the tent arranged with open ends;

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of the tent arranged to form a lean-to with a relatively small opening;

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of the tent in the form of a lean-to with a relatively wide opening;

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of the tent with a completely open fly; and

FIGURE 8 is a perspective view of an alternative open position.

Referring now specifically to FIGURE 1 of the drawings, in which the tent is laid out flat, there is included a substantially rectangular panel 12 provided with two semi-octagonal panels 14 and 16 disposed at the opposite ends of the rectangular panel 12. The panels 12, 14 and 16 are interconnected into a single panel by reinforced seams 18 and 20 which connect the ends of the rectangular panel "ice 12 with the end panels 14 and 16. If the center rectangular panel 12 is of any substantial length, additional longitudinal or diagonal reinforced stitching or both of these may be provided for interconnecting segments of the center rectangular panel and reinforcing the same. The center points of the semi-octagonal end panels 14 and 16 are disposed centrally of the reinforced seams 18 and 20 and each center point is provided with a grommet or other means of supporting the peak of the tent as designated by numeral 31. The corners of the rectangular panel 12 are also provided with grommets 32 or other devices such as tent peg loops. The intermediate corners of each semioctagonal panel 14 and 16 are provided with a similar grommet or device 33 and at the outer apex of each panel 14 and 16, there is provided a grommet 34. Intermediate each side edge of the center rectangular panel 12, there is provided a grommet 35. Intermediate the end grommets 34 and the grommets 33, there is provided a grommet or other suitable fastener 37 for attaching the points 37 at each end of the tent to each other. Intermediate the seam extending from the grommet 31 to the grommet 33, there is provided a fastener such as a tie tape, snap or grommet 36 so that a fold line will exist between points 32 and 34 when the grommet 33 is folded inwardly and connected to the fastener 36. To provide optimum proportions to the tent structure, the distance from point 31 to point 33 may be less than the distance from point 31 to points 32 and 34. In this event the intermediate corners, in addition to the grommet 33 or other similar device, also have an extension loop 30 so that they may attach to pegs 39 or 40. A tent floor panel 50 is attached to one edge of the center panel 12 and is provided with triangular end panels 52 and 54 which define the outline of the bottom of the tent when set up and a mosquito net panel 56 is attached to one or both of the semi-octagonal end panels such as 14 between the grommet point 34 and the grommet 33 as illustrated in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 2 illustrates the pole and peg arrangement with an upright pole being disposed at points 38 with the upright pole 58 having a length of the appropriate height so that the upper end thereof will support points 31 on the tent panel 12. The tent peg locations are designated by points 38, 39, 40, 41, 42 and 43 which have been illustrated to facilitate the description of the tent when oriented in its various positions. It is pointed out that the floor panel 50 as well as the net panel 56 may be detachable if desired and maybe omitted if desired.

FIGURE 3 illustrates the tent in fully closed position. Either one of the corners 32 and 34 at the same end will attach to one of the pegs 39 and the other corner 32 at the same end to the other of the pegs 39. Both points 33 are attached together by snaps or tie ropes and the outer corner 33 will attach to peg 40. Points 35 will attach to the pegs 41 thus anchoring the periphery of the tent in completely closed condition. In order to close the tent from the inside, corners 32 being attached to pegs 39 and one corner 33 to peg 40, attach corner 34 to peg 39 so as to close the opening. Attach the corner 33 that is now loose on the inside of the tent to the other corner 33 which is fast to peg 40. If this attachment is with snaps, the corners 33 at each end of the tent must have on one a male snap and on the other a female. Points 36 must be furnished accordingly with one male and one female snap at each end, opposite from the snap at the corner 33 which attaches to them. The distance from pole point 38 to the end point or peg 40 varies with the shape of the ends of the tent. It is greatest with the equiangular octagon and decreases as point 33 approaches the line joining points 32 and 34. When point 33 reaches that line, thus giving triangular ends to the flat shape, the

distance from peg 40 to the pole point 38 becomes zero or coincidental. As this distance approaches zero, the tent will become increasingly unstable longitudinally, thus requiring a guy line from point 31 to another peg in the extension of the center line of the tent.

FIGURE 4 illustrates the tent with open ends. The points 35, corners 32 and the outside corner 33 which is attached to peg 40 remain unchanged. Corners 34 and the other corner 33 are supported by poles from peg point 40 to corner 34 and peg 39 to corner 33. Short guy ropes 44 extend from corners 34 and 33 to the pegs 43. If the tent is equiangular at the ends, the opening will be square. As corner 33 is brought toward point 31, the opening becomes a rhombus. In any shape, it may be furnished with the net such as net 56 which is attached to the edge of the end panel between points 33 and 34 in order to exclude insects with the net 56 being preferably detachable.

FIGURE shows a lean-to with a relatively small opening with the points 32 and 35 at the back being attached to pegs 39 and 41 as in the previous arrangements. The adjacent point 33 attaches to peg 40 as before. The points 37 at each end are attached to each other so there is no slack canvas. Point 34 attaches to front peg 39 in front and the front corners 32 are supported by two of the poles which were used to support the open ends in FIGURE 4 and short guy lines 46 similar to the guy lines 44 in FIGURE 4 extend to the pegs 42.

FIGURE 6 illustrates a wide open lean-to and the only changes from FIGURE 5 are that the points 37 are detached from each other and longer poles reaching from corner 34 to corner 32 are employed and longer guy lines 48 are employed which extend to pegs 42. Corner 33 is folded in and may be attached around the support pole but to facilitate closing of the tent from the interior thereof, it may also be left unattached. With the tent pitched in any of the open configurations, it can be closed from inside by the occupants merely removing the poles and securing the tent loops to the pegs. All loose canvas will be inside the tent and may be secured after the tent has been closed. In any configuration, the guys will not interfere with closing the tent once the pole is gone and may be left to be secured when the tent is opened again.

FIGURE 7 illustrates an open fly arrangement which is most practical with an equiangular tent inasmuch as pegs 39 and 40 would have to be moved with other shapes. None of the configurations described to this point has required that any pole or peg be moved and this arrangement does not require any such move with the equiangular tent. Also, the change from one configuration to another can be made without unduly disturbing any occupants or contents of the tent. For this configuration of the tent, the corners 33 attach to the pegs 39 and corners 34 attach to pegs 40. The side edges extending between points 32 and 33 are supported by the same poles used at the openings in FIGURES 4 and 5 and the same short guys 44 or 46 attach to pegs 42.

FIGURE 8 illustrates an alternative open position for non-equiangular tents and this arrangement could also be used for equiangular arrangements. In this construction, the corners 32 are attached to pegs 39 and points 35 are attached to pegs 41 and corners 33 are attached to points 36 while corners 34 are supported by poles used before and which are designated by numeral 49 in FIGURE 8 and the corners 34 are guyed by guys 44 to pegs 42 which have been relocated for this configuration only.

As indicated previously, the semi-octagonal panel 14 and 16 at each end must be equilateral but it may or may not be equiangular. An equiangular shape would simplify construction but would result in a tent rather high for its width. By bringing corner 33 closer in toward point 31 makes a Wider, lower tent but also introduces certain complications in pitching it in some configurations. The limit is reached when the line extending between points 32 and 34 becomes a straight line with point 33 at its mid-point. This provides a tent with flat ends and in the configuration illustrated in FIGURE 4, the side edge extending between points 33 and 34 would lie along the ground in an extension of the mid-line of the tent and the opening would become a triangle. The arrangement illustrated in FIGURE 7 works well with equiangular semi-octagons at each end.

The grommets at point 31 may take or receive a projecting pin in the top of the tent pole 58 or some other appropriate means of securing the tent pole under point 31. The grommets, tent peg loops, snaps, tie straps and the like are all of conventional configuration and the tent may be constructed of any suitable flexible waterproof material such as canvas or the like normally employed in tent constructions. It is also within the purview of this invention to provide a hexagon ended tent in configurations illustrated in FIGURES 3 and 4 as well as in FIG- URE 5 but with the opening in FIGURE 4 being triangular. The tent construction disclosed herein is quite easy to construct in that it is simple in outline and has very few attachments. It can be used in five basic shapes including open lean-to, sunshade and A-tent with ready access while still being substantially Weatherproof. In this construction, the sloping poles, when employed, enable the guys to be almost vertical to reduce the likelihood of tripping persons walking past the tent. The open-ended arrangement provides a substantial degree of weather protection and at the same time provides for cross ventilation and ready access by personnel. In addition, the closing or opening of the tent may be completed while disposed completely within the interior of the tent thus avoiding the necessity of getting wet in the event of rainfall during the time when the tent is being converted from one arrangement to another.

As indicated previously, the floor panel 50 and netting panel 56 may be permanently attached or detachably connected by snaps, zippers or any other conventional fastening means. This would enable those desiring to use the net and floor panel to attach the same and if anyone did not need the floor panel or net, these panels could be removed thus reducing the over-all weight of the tent. The netting panel 56 may be provided at both ends of the tent if desired. Also, the floor panel 50 may be zippered in all around the periphery thereof to provide for maximum Weatherproofing.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A tent structure comprising a flexible panel assembly including a central enlarged panel having substantially parallel side edges and substantially parallel end edges perpendicular to the side edges, a pair of end panels extending from the end edges of the central panel, each end panel being of polygonal configuration and provided with an apex along an extension line of the center line of the central panel, each end panel including radial fold lines extending from the center point of the end edge of the central panel to enable the end panels to be folded into various positions and the various portions thereof to be anchored in various manners to enable tent arrangements of various configurations to be formed, each of said end panels being semi-octagonal in configuration with tWo corners thereof disposed on opposite sides of the apex with the radial fold lines extending to the two corners and to the apex, and an additional radial fold between the fold line extending to the apex and each fold line extending to the two additional corners of the end panel, and fastening means adjacent to the two additional corners and along the radial fold lines extending thereto.

2 The structure as defined in claim 1 together with a bottom forming panel connected with one side edge of the central panel, and a net forming panel attached to an outer edge portion of an end panel for forming a net closure for an opening defined by the end panel in certain orientations thereof.

3. The structure as defined in claim 1 wherein said central panel is supported by a pair of tent poles supporting the center point of the end edges of the central panel in all positions of tent structure.

4. The structure as defined in claim 3 wherein said central panel has both side edges thereof anchored to form a ridge between the upper ends of the tent poles.

5. The structure as defined in claim 4 wherein said end panels are anchored at the apex thereof and with the two additional corners secured in folded condition along a straight line from the apex to the ends of the end edges of the central panel by employing the fastening means to form a completely closed tent structure.

6. The structure as defined in claim 4 wherein at least one of said end panels has a portion of the periphery anchored and a portion supported by tent poles and guys to provide an end opening.

7. The structure as defined in claim 3 wherein said central panel has one side edge anchored and the other side edge supported by tent poles and guys to form a lean-to tent structure.

8. The structure as defined in claim 3 wherein the end panels are anchored and both side edges are supported by tent poles and guys to form an open side tent structure.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,260,612 3/1918 Whall 135-1 2,442,132 5/1948 Laythe 135-1 2,497,596 2/1950 Frieder et a1 135-1 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,319,219 1/1963 France.

KENNETH DOWNEY, Primary Examiner 

